FSC Camper swtch from 110 to 12V HELP How to make the switch

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Russell

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Joined
Feb 10, 2008
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5
I have a new 2 me FSC camper.  I cannot figure out how to make it run off the batteries or where the batteries are or even the wiring that makes it happen.  The camper make is a Pilgrim.  Not the best I know but it's what I have.  Camper length is 9'6".  There is a control panel inside that shows battery condition and tank levels etc.  However I have no idea how to make it run on the battery.  Can someonehelp out here and give me the basics?

Thanks much!
Russ     
 
Well, I hate to say it cause the dang thing weighs about 20 pounds but (read the fine manual) (Read The Fine Manual)

The manual SHOULD tell you a few things, including where your battery or batteries are located and (And this is the biggie)

WHERE THE BATTERY DISCONNECT CONTROL IS..

Now, they put 'em in several places.. On many motor homes and trailers there may be a switch panel just inside the door, it will often have momentary switches, 3 position (on/off/on) with springs to hold them in the "off" position.  On many motor homes it will be on the dash, It can also be just about anywhere.  On many trailers it's in the battery compartment itself.

(Which means locating the batteries..... Check to see if one of the entry steps comes up, that's a common place)

Other places are basement compartments and any closet or cubbord at FLOOR LEVEL, they almost never put 'em higher than the floor.

But that's going to be my best suggestion.. NOTE the batteries may be flat and need charging (just leave 'em connected with the rig plugged in for a day to do that)

Next. ONCE you find the batteries, if you can't find a disconnect, you will need to start tracking power.. I find a test light is the best for this.. To make a test light (I like home made better than store bought) take something like a license plate lamp socket or a marker lamp light socket and matching bulb,  Put a clip on one of the leads and on the other one solder and tape on a longer flexible wire. Put a "probe" on the other end (A small ice pick type probe works well) or you can put on an insulated clip

You start by hooking to the battery No light = dead battery or bad lamp.   Then move the ground clip from the battery negative to the chassis, (NOTE: stop at the first NO LIGHT and fix it before continuing) NO light = bad ground, check both ends of the cable.

Then follow the battery postive cable, each device you come to check both terminals  NO LIGHT =

A: Bad connection (Correct)
B: Open switch (Close) or relay (Find the control and operate)
3: Failed fuse or circuit breaker (Reset or replace)

It's that simple

I do not think you will get to the test lamp stage though  I think your batteries are in "Store" mode (Disconnected)

A volt meter can be used instead of the test lamp.. but it is harder, much much harder, since the meter has to be read where as the lamp you just glance at it.
 
John from Detroit:  I think you may have missed that this is a slide-in (truck) camper. Things are often done a bit differently than the typical motorhome or trailer.

Since this is a slide-in, it may utilize the truck's batteries rather than containing its own in the camper shell. Unfortunayely I know nothing about the pilgrim brand of truck camper, so cannot begin to guess whether it will have its own battery(s) or where the power connections may be. Hopefully someone with more experience than I in truck campers can contirbute.
 
I could be wrong, but in most cases I think everything runs on 12 VDC.  When you plug into shore power or fire up the on board generator (doubtful  not included on a slide in) the power is converted to 12VDC and the user does nothing.  An exception might be if an inverter is included, but again I doubt that a slide in has one. 
 
OK gentlemen,

From what I can figure I am not connected to the truck properly.  I do have lights when plugged in, just no power to the inside for lights etc.  please give thought and direction.

Thanks tons,
Russ
 
Sorry it took me so long to respond.  I have a terrible time logging in.  If you can help with this I would be very appreciative!  I cannot enter forums after I log in.  I read the post by Tom about this but I checked and my account is activated. 
Regarding your lights question:  the lights on I am refering to are brake light, clearance lights turn signals. 
What I DO NOT have are any interior lights.  Like I mentioned before there is a control panel inside and I am supposed to be FSC.  All propane appliances operate, I just need electricity! 

I look forward to you replies and  maybe some assistance on the logging in issues.

Thanks much!!
Russ       
 
I have a terrible time logging in.  If you can help with this I would be very appreciative!  I cannot enter forums after I log in.  I read the post by Tom about this but I checked and my account is activated.

Russel,

Yes, your account is activated, otherwise you wouldn't be able to post messages here. Could you provide a little more information on the problem you're having logging in? Do you see an error message? It sounds like you may be having a second/different problem after you've logged in (?)

Thanks.
 
and I am supposed to be FSC.

Sorry, I'm not familiar with the acronym "FSC".

If your propane appliances work (water heater, fridge and furnace), you must have some 12v power in the camper because they all have 12v powered circuit boards. Very strange. Does the control panel show battery voltage OK, e.g. something like 12.6v or more?

I'm beginning to suspect a fuse on the lighting circuit, but have no idea where to look on a Pilgrim slide-in.

There is a Pilgrim RV Owners Forum but it is in test mode and I'm not sure if there are actually many owners there to help. You can check it out at http://www.pilgrimrvowners.com/forumstest2/login.asp?target=/forumstest2/default.asp
 
"Fully Self Contained" (Obvious from context)

to the O/P.  I will describe how a light in an RV works on battery power

Power flows from the battery through wires, and either a fuse or circuit breaker, normally to a disconnect switch, from there through wires to a fuse block and from there through wires and a switch to the bulb, and finally back through wires and possible the frame of the unit to the battery (Side note to picky folks. Yes, I know it's backward, Don't matter)

So take a test lamp (12 volt bulb, socket clips) and starting with the battery check for power.. Does not matter which clip is which, so test from Battery negative to battery positive LIGHT = good  Continue testing till you no longer "See the light" then fix the problem and continue till the inside light works

Next move the NEGATIVE clip to the vehicle frame or chassis.

Now (NOTE you may have to move the negative clip to other chassis points) move out along the positive line till you no longer see the light..

Possible problems

Dead battery (Charge or replace and charge)
Bad connection battery (Clean)
Bad connection frame end of negative cable (Clean)
Bad connection "hot" (positive) wire to circuit breaker or fuse (Clean)
Bad breaker, tripped breaker or blown fuse  (Replace or reset)
Disconnect switch.. OPEN (Close)
Assorted other bad connections or blown fuses (See above for solution)
Broken wire (Splice)

And last but not least.. BOB  The old Burned Out Bulb
 
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